Crafting a Holiday Hit: How Strategic PR Launched St. Louis’ Newest Winter Pop-Up Bar
By: Nicole O’Leary, Group Director of Public Relations
Tinsel and spiced rum aren’t enough to break through the holiday noise anymore. This past winter, OBP helped a longtime local favorite launch something St. Louis had never seen before: The Floating Sleigh, the city’s first-ever floating holiday pop-up bar hosted aboard the Riverboats at the Gateway Arch. Here’s how a strategic, multilayered PR campaign turned a festive idea into the city’s must-visit seasonal destination.
Making Waves With Traditional Media Relations
Our primary objective was to build massive local awareness before the first drink was even poured. We started by drafting a compelling press release that highlighted the unique selling proposition: St. Louis’ only floating holiday experience.
By hyper-targeting local St. Louis media outlets and leveraging our deep-rooted relationships with local journalists, editors and producers, we secured blanket coverage across the region.
The results spoke for themselves:
- 39 media placements across major local TV, print and digital outlets
- 374,735,001 total impressions, ensuring the pop-up stayed top of mind throughout the season
- Ad Value Equivalency (AVE) of $1,114,961.07, proving the massive ROI that a dedicated earned media campaign can deliver
The Floating Sleigh is a great example of how various skills and knowledge come together to support client initiatives. In addition to earned media, OBP experts in paid and owned media as well as creative and experiential team members worked collaboratively to brand and help bring the holiday pop-up bar to life. We supported our client with paid ads, organic social media content, and also created the event’s branding and logo.
The Power of the Preview: Influencer Partnerships
Traditional media laid the groundwork, but to capture the social-first crowd, we knew we needed to get the city’s most trusted tastemakers into the space early.
On opening night, OBP helped coordinate an exclusive Influencer Preview Night. We invited top St. Louis lifestyle, food and culture influencers to experience the festive decor, sample the menu and capture the stunning views of the Arch.
By assisting with everything from guest list curation to on-site event execution, we helped the Riverboats team create a seamless, highly shareable experience. The resulting wave of Instagram Reels, TikToks and stories created an immediate sense of FOMO (fear of missing out), driving ticket sales and booking inquiries.
In today’s media landscape, a successful launch doesn’t rely on just one channel. By seamlessly blending high-impact traditional media relations with authentic influencer partnerships, you create a multiplier effect that dominates both the morning news and the social feed.
Looking to Make Your Next Launch Unmissable?
Whether it’s a first-of-its-kind event or a new product rollout, a strategic PR plan is what transforms an idea into a cultural moment. At OBP, we don’t just send press releases—we tell stories that drive measurable business results.
Want to see what our PR team can do for your brand? Let’s connect.